So I went on a mission to find great restaurants, bars, and producers that have changed the way they operate. That have added delivery options to their menus for us to eat excellent food, stay healthy and sane while we are waiting for life to go back to “normal”. 

On another thought, what would dinner be without a glass of wine or some delicious Japanese sake? Which is why I also added some great shops for you to buy your favorite tipple.

Delicious Food From Small Local Businesses

OUT

Is now offering a special delivery menu in Tokyo. They offer fresh organic pasta including weekly pasta specials and different sauces. And for a little more luxury you can add truffle and even wine.

Alchemist Bar and Dining

Is now specializing in family-style TV dinners delivered Japan-wide including vegan options, real bread, and burger packs.

Bistro Kiki

This popular Harajuku eatery is offering takeout and delivery of salads and main dishes from its fusion menu including open sandwiches and beef straw-yaki rice.

Cocofulu Cafe

Is selling lunches and sweets as take-out and delivery, check out their products online and just email them for your order at cocofulucafe@gmail.com

The Perfect Beverages For Your Meals

Sake Lovers Inc

Is selling a variety of Japanese sake, including original brand Reiwashu sparkling sake. Make sure to use the 10% discount code “SAKELOVERS” at the checkout or if you are buying the “3 Goddesses gift set” get 500yen discount by adding “CORONA”.

JAPAN CIDER MARKET

Selling international ciders online and also have homebrewing kits. Currently offering shipping discounts, the more you order – the more you save.

Schmatz

With their restaurants currently closed, they have started selling beer and merchandise online and will add food to their offers soon too.

Local Farmers offering their best Products

Oishimon Organic Farm

A small farm providing locally and organically produced vegetables delivered to your home. Get a trial box for 2262円.

Base Side Farm

Provides boxes of fesh vegetables at their farm near the Yokota Air Base, you can go pick up some of their great produce or order online. They have different delivery options depending on your area, so please check their pages.

Sho Farm

Sells organic vegetables from its farm located in Kanagawa. It delivers plastic free and zero waste. With a great variety of produce this is a great one to order from.

Farmers Market @UN

This popular weekend market has joint forces and distributes a list of its producers, so you can buy their amazing product and support all the small businesses you would usually buy from on a weekend at their Aoyama market.

Itadakimasu Or Bon Appétit

Make sure to bookmark this list, as we will add more businesses for you over the next few weeks. And if you know of any business that should be included, let us know in the comments below or via our contact page.

If there is any other way you think we could help we would love to hear from you too!

Why not subscribe to our newsletter to get all the latest updates and follow us on Instagram and Facebook?

The post Our Favorite Local Businesses Have Started To Deliver Tasty Food Right To Your Doorstep! appeared first on Obsessed with Japan.

But these can be pretty boring. And no, not just the subjects, but also the decor. Although it can be fun seeing your coworker’s house, giving you that little extra insight into their personality. There is also the making-sure-everything-looks-respectable and that struggle of getting a good angle to not show the freshly done laundry spread around the house or that stain on the wall.

Introduction: Wallpapers!

This is exactly what makes wallpapers such a great invention for our virtual conversations! Ranging from original artwork or that great holiday picture, these give us a chance to spice up that meeting, be creative and showcase our interests and personality.

And it is why I love that Studio Ghibli has added wallpapers of some of everyone’s favorite movies. They include a scene of Sophie’s room from ‘Howl’s Moving Castle’ as well as a gorgeous street view, straight from ‘Spirited Away’.

How do I download these FREE Studio Ghibli wallpapers?

And yes you heard right, they are available for download for FREE!

All you need to do is visit Studio Ghibli’s official website, select the image you want to download, click and then add it to your chat platform. As easy as that.

I personally love the “Ponyo on the cliff” one, but any of them will certainly brighten up any of your online gatherings.

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Due to the current global situation, many parents are literally tearing their hair out trying to think of ways to keep their offspring suitably occupied. A few weeks in spring or summer is ok but when parents are confronted with a pandemic which means that their kids are at home for months on end, things can get pretty intense. Here are a few options for keeping your little cherubs occupied for the coming months.

Top 5 Things To Do At Home With Kids

1. Hyakunin Isshu Karuta: Bozu Mekuri 

This is a belter of a card game. So much fun for everyone involved and for ages from about 3/4 upwards. My family adores this game because the outcome can go right down to the wire. The instructions and gameplay are based on noblemen, queens, and monks. The instructions can be found here and I promise you, hours of fun can be found in this simple and traditional card game. 

And in case you don’t have one yet, fret not, it is available online from Amazon.

2. Wii

In times like this when exercising or even going outside is pretty much a no-no I’m glad my family bought a Wii a few years back. My daughter (and the whole family) loves games such as Wii Party, Wii Sports Resort, Just Dance and Wii Fit Plus. Fun, challenging and a form of good exercise, it makes indoor life slightly more bearable.

3. YouTube

Don’t kid yourself that YouTube is just a waste of time. Of course, there is a lot of total bunkum on the platform but there are a lot of great resources for parents and kids alike. My little pumpkin is currently learning English and loves all the teenage American dramas such as “Austin and Ally” and “The Descendants.” When she was younger she loved the NHK Education channel which has an abundance of perfect content for toddlers.  

4. Language Study

My wee lady is in the last year of a Japanese elementary school and scoffs at the ALT who comes once a week to teach the same theme every time. It’s not the ALT’s fault but after a few years of ‘animals’ and ‘greetings’ things become a little dry. My daughter loves her tablet from cram school Kumon called ‘Challenge Touch’ which sets up quizzes and tests for younger learners. She then tries out her newly found knowledge with her old man which is good for both of us. If it’s not English or Japanese then any other language study is really beneficial for young’uns. 

5. Creativity: Cooking

My little princess is 11 years old and has recently developed a real love for cooking. Pancakes, baking, spaghetti, and rice dishes – she is rapidly becoming a pint-sized Gordon Ramsay (especially as her father is also a sweary Glaswegian)!

We both love Nanako Okana‘s YouTube channel which is in Japanese but also comes with English subtitles. Additionally, showing and teaching kids (even fairly young children) by yourself, to make simple dishes such as omelettes and niku jaga (meat and potatoes) can be lots of fun and educational.

Looking for more?

Well, once you have played, studied, and cooked together, why not visit a virtual museum? Or connect with your inner artist and try yourself at Origami?

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On the other side, there are the small businesses, restaurants, and shops empty. That without footfall aren’t able to make ends meet. And with no timeframe at all, we can only guesstimate how long it will take to get back to some sort of “normal”. No matter how we turn it, there will be lasting changes and one can only wonder what’s left after the Coronavirus has passed?

The good news is that many businesses in Tokyo have started to add additional services, a win-win for everyone. Because as I am trying to create the perfect home environment (one that does not give me cabin fever), I am also looking for small things that bring some joy into my new routine. And yes, being able to get a delivery from my favorite restaurant may just be what I need. Plus it gives them the chance to stay in business. Because the sad reality is, many of our favorite places may not be there anymore once we are allowed to roam the streets freely again.

So how can we support local businesses in Japan?

As we are all, to some extend still consuming, we can start to support our favorite restaurants and shops by buying their products online. Sure, this is not an entirely new concept. Though many places would not have online versions of their stores and delivery was not something all restaurants could physically do.

But with countries ahead of us facing the same struggles, we could see neighborhoods rallying together in an effort to continue to support their local community and so can we. Though in a city like Tokyo, that is widespread and with millions of people and thousands of options, it just seems a little harder to do…

Online shops, take outs and pay forward 

The good news is that local businesses all over Japan are ready to fight. Many have already tried to adapt, adding other services. With one Ramen shop offering take away, a newly opened bar selling premium cider online, and some Japanese language schools offering virtual classes during this difficult period.

So next time you are thinking of ordering online or looking for something specific to buy, why not check out our list of local businesses first? You will make a big difference for these small businesses and the people behind them.

Food and drink

There are many restaurants, bars, and producers working hard to get their fare to you. And they might just save you from that next cup noodles or quick pasta. So if you are looking for great food and drinks then these places are perfect for you!

OUT: Is now offering a takeaway menu in Shibuya. They offer fresh organic pasta including weekly pasta specials and different sauces. And for a little more luxury you can add truffle and even wine.

Sake Lovers Inc: Is selling a variety of Japanese Sake, including original brand Reiwashu sparkling sake. Make sure to use the 10% discount code “SAKELOVERS” at the check out or if you are buying the “3 Goddesses gift set” get 500yen discount by adding “CORONA”.

JAPAN CIDER MARKET: Selling international ciders online and also have homebrewing kits. Currently offering shipping discounts, the more you order – the more you save.

Milieu: This Greek Taverna in Azabu-Juban is now offering take-out, such as Greek Gyro, Moussaka, and Greek Salad.

Cocofulu Cafe: Is selling lunches and sweets as take-out and delivery, just email them for your order at cocofulucafe@gmail.com

Alchemist Bar and Dining: Is now specializing in Family style Tv Dinners delivered Japan-wide including Vegan options, real bread, and Burger packs.

Karachi no Sora: Normally only eat in you can now order delicious halal Pakistani and Indian cuisine, either pick up or delivery.

Oishimon Organic Farm: A small farm providing locally and organically produced vegetables delivered to your home. Get a trial box for 2262円.

Products

Spending more time at home, also gives us the opportunity to clear out the house and make space for new things. Wether you are reorganising your wardrobe or thinking about redecorating your house, these shops may just have what you are looking for.

Tokyo Kalaidoscope: A sustainable fashion label reconstructing vintage kimonos into bespoke, modern stylish pieces by hand.

Chidori Vintage: Offer vintage items, collectibles, and antiques from all over Japan. Use “NEWCUSTOMERCHIDORI30” and get 30% off your order.

Bikudesigns: Is a vintage kimono jewelry brand based in Shimokitazawa offering free shipping in April just use the coupon code WASHYOURHANDS at checkout.

Turquoise Port: Selling curated modern Asian brands & travel finds, Home decor, art & accessories.

Japanese Classes

Well and if there was ever a time to tackle Japanese than it would be right now. With more time on our hands, this is the perfect opportunity to level up. So once we get to enjoy the outdoors again, we will feel more confident and who knows, make some new Japanese friends.

Japan Switch: The first offline language school to completely switch to remote lessons. Offering their beginner-level Japanese classes online now. Prices are very affordable, with group lessons for 1500Yen and you can get an extra 3000 yen discount if you sign up for more than one full month.

Make sure to bookmark this list as we will add more businesses for you over the next few weeks. And if you know of any business that should be included, let us know in the comments below or via our contact page.

If there is any other way you think we could help we would love to hear from you too!

Why not subscribe to our newsletter to get all the latest updates and follow us on Instagram and Facebook?

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Luckily for you my homebound friend, you have a plethora of options to get your fit on. If you’re like me, transitioning to classes at home may be a bit of a challenge. But just remember— even if you just manage seven minutes of yoga now and again, seven minutes is way more than zero. 

Here’s a roundup of FREE (and our fave) fitness classes online:

Note: unless you have a paid Youtube, account, you will have to “pay” by watching occasional ads. 

Dance 

Pick up hot new moves you can debut when the clubs reopen.

The Fitness Marshall’s 30 Minute Dance Workout doesn’t take itself seriously in the best of ways —  filled with cardio, dashes of strength training, good vibes, Lizzo, and Ariana Grande. Check out their channel for more fitness and dance choreography videos. 

For dance newbies, we recommend the 10 minute videos from Move With Colour. Nathan breaks down the moves and builds them up step-by-step. 

HIIT (High-Intensity Interval Training)

Get ripped. No equipment needed. 

HIIT or High-intensity interval training generally combines short bursts of intense exercise with low-intensity rest moves. Think one minute of jumping jacks, then two minutes of plank. Rawr!

Heather Robertson’s Intense 30 Minute Full Body HIIT packs a hell-of-a-punch without making me feel like I’m going to keel over from exhaustion. Her 12-week workout playlist consists of 61 different videos so you won’t get bored doing the same routine.

However, if you’re looking for more of a cardio focus with a club vibe, try Les Mills’ 30-minute HIIT workout.

Yoga

Find your zen while stretching and strengthening.

With 6.7 million subscribers, Yoga with Adriene is the grand dame of the online yoga world. Her soothing voice and clear instructions will wake you up in the morning, ease you into bedtime, and alleviate stress. Plus as a bonus, her dog Benji often makes cameos! 

If you’re new to yoga or just not sure where to start, Try the 30 Days of Yoga playlist that serves up a different short class a day. 

Prefer to take a live class with an instructor? YogaWorks is offering free livestream classes at Japan-friendly times.

Meditation

Calm your mind. Ground your body.

If you’re short on time (or patience), Calm has a selection of soothing 10-minute meditations. If you’re looking to indulge in longer sessions, explore the Mindfulness Meditations playlist from The Mindful Movement. 

Bonus tip: Spotify hosts a number of meditation podcasts and tracks. This playlist is a good place to start exploring.

Bonus! ‘80s Style Aerobics + Practice your English?!

After all, laughter is the best medicine….
Zuiikin’ English’s is an oddball tv show which aired in 1992 with a 5 AM time-slot; naturally, it combined language learning with aerobics. Thanks to this show, a generation of Japanese people have mastered useful phrases such as: “The climax scene really got to me” and “Lovely golf weather today!”

Now, You Give It a Try!

Time to get up and have some fun, yo.

Any exercise is better than nothing, so, permit yourself to start small. And, in case you’re wondering, lifting a burger to your mouth does not count as strength training.

P.S. To further exercise your brain, check out our guide to the best virtual museums! 

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What kinda virtual museums are we walking about?

The good thing is, there are virtual museums for everyone. Not into Art? Then how about science? From walking through the Vatican to checking out some dinosaurs at the Smithsonian, come have a look. And as you are at it, why not participate in “The Getty museum challenge” once you found that perfect painting to recreate?

We challenge you to recreate a work of art with objects (and people) in your home.

Choose your favorite artwork
Find three things lying around your house⠀
Recreate the artwork with those items

And share with us. pic.twitter.com/9BNq35HY2V

— Getty (@GettyMuseum) March 25, 2020

1.The GOOGLE Art Project

Not technically a virtual Museum, Google has partnered with over 1000 cultural institutions worldwide to help you discover artworks online. Which is hard to beat.

With many amazing works of art available in high resolution you can even create your own virtual museum tour via Google Street View! So go on, wander and discover some of the most famous art there is, or take a shortcut and check the complete list of museums here.

2.The Vatican Museum

I have been to the Vatican Museums before and it is one of the most amazing collections of art that exists in the world to date. Imagine rooms filled from top to bottom with artwork curated by the many Popes over centuries.

The sheer volume is overwhelming, so this virtual tour will give you a great look inside, in case you have not had the chance to visit. Or if you have, will let you revisit its iconic exhibits. And yes, you can even take a look at Sistine Chapel, Michelangelo’s masterpiece, where photography is not even allowed…

3.The Louvre

Being one of the largest museums of the arts, this iconic Paris Museum had to be on this list. We love their online tours, as you get a chance to see its most popular exhibits. So go on, explore some rare artifacts as well as world-renowned artists, as you virtually walk through the Louvre’s maze-like interiors…

4.Epson TeamLab Borderless Digital Art Museum

Being an all-time favourite since its opening in 2018, the Epson TeamLab Borderless Digital Art Museum located in Odaiba, Tokyo has awed its audience. Submerging visitors in outer-worldly spaces, it is an amazing real-life experience.

And yes, it will not be as grand watching the projections from home. But I promise, once you turn on the sound and turn of the light you will get closer to it then you may have dared to imagine…

5.The Smithsonian Museum of Natural History

From paintings and digital worlds how about exploring some natural history? With about 145 million specimens and artifacts (who is counting) the Smithsonian will keep you busy for some time.

So takes its online tour, meet dinosaurs and get a glance at our own origins. And for anyone interested, it also includes an exhibition on outbreaks and epidemics.

6.Nasa

Not that interested in art but want to find out more about space? Than this is the one for you!

Here, NASA will bring you on a virtual tour of its facilities. Go on and check out the Langley Research Center, the Glenn Research Center, or drop in the Houston Space Center via their app. Aside from virtual tours, here you can also find some augmented reality experiences and all you need to know about their space exploration.

And that is not all…

Because this is only a small collection of what is out there. With plenty of other virtual museums and many especially opening their doors online in times of Coronavirus, it would be a pity to not check them out. Or how about some virtual Hanami? With plenty of live cams all around Japan, you don’t have to miss out.

And it might just as well be the time to get creative yourself, so if you do get inspired, why not check out some of the free tutorials and workshops available online?

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So if you were waiting for that overseas delivery, it may or may not arrive. The reason given is that due to the Coronavirus, flights have been significantly reduced or suspended. This has affected the delivery of international mail. Therefore Japan Post has made the unusual decision to temporarily suspend some of its services. Best case, this could mean delays, worst case, mail might not be accepted and/or returned to sender.

With almost no English information or update on this yet, the only broadcaster mentioning this so far is NHK News:

【速報 JUST IN 】国際郵便物 あさってから引受停止拡大 153の国と地域対象 #nhk_news https://t.co/Zrb65kig3t

— NHKニュース (@nhk_news) March 31, 2020

Which countries are affected?

Not all countries are affected. That is good, right?

So far, it has been communicated that for example the United States, United Kingdom, and France are not included at this point in time. But with recent developments, this too could change.

For a detailed list of which countries are affected please check the official Japan Post site here. It is regularly updated so keep an eye on it…

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If you had told me yesterday, that Tokyo would be covered in snow today I would have thought you were crazy.

With Saturday being so far the warmest day yet in Tokyo, sporting a pleasant 23 degrees. I was just about to put away those winter coats and Uniqlo heat-tech jumpers. So opening the curtains this morning and seeing this white winter wonderland was certainly not what I expected.

But here we are. As if the world could not get any stranger, nature decided to top it all and give us the perfect “white Chrismas”, just about 3 months late.

At least we know for sure there won’t be any Hanami picnics this weekend, certainly, people will prefer to stay home today. As with this grizzly weather, any unnecessary trip even just to the shop is becoming a real challenge.

And yes I have been there. And believe me, the 10min walk in the snow and wind taught me a lesson to be better prepared. The only positive, if you do need to get something from a supermarket today, it will be pretty empty as people are not venturing out.

Tokyo is covered in snow today and with cherry blossoms in full bloom, it is magical yet strange…#tokyo #cherryblossom #snow #StrangeTimes pic.twitter.com/b5ZJtklBfg

— obsessedwithjapan (@obsessedwithjap) March 29, 2020

This sudden change outside is definitely another good reason to stay home today, Corona lockin or not. So wrap yourself in a blanket or fire up that Kotatsu table.

I dare you to play a Christmas song and drink some hot chocolate…

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So it comes as a pleasant surprise that shops and parks have voluntarily closed this weekend in Tokyo to make it easier for Tokyoites to resist the temptation.

You may think this is overreacting, but as this week has seen cases rising day by day, it is certainly a much-needed measure.

Although let’s not forget, with an incubation period of roughly 2 weeks, we may be already heading towards a bigger outbreak. Which makes it even more important to self-distance and stay home as much as possible.

These places are closed this Weekend in Tokyo

1.Public Parks

Because many Tokyoites have still been gathering, especially to view the cherry blossom, Yoyogi Park, Inokashira Park, and Ueno Park have restricted their access this weekend. With popular Hanami spots blocked off.

2.Shops

Shopping being the second on the list on how to spend your weekend in Tokyo, many department stores have also decided to close their doors this weekend. Here is a list of closures on the 28th and 29th of March:

• Shibuya 109
• Shibuya Parco
• Lumine: Most will close, with some only opening their Food section. (Closed: Shinjuku, Shinjuku est, Ikebukuro, Yurakucho, NEWoMAN, Machida, Yokohama, Partly open: Tachikawa, Ogikubo, Omiya, Fujisawa, Kita-Senju, Ofura, Kawagoe
• Takashiyama
• Laforet Harajuku

3.Starbucks

This popular Coffee chain will close almost all their stores over the weekend and has adopted new opening times afterward, closing its stores early at 7 pm.

4.Toho Cinemas

All locations are closed over the weekend and in addition to that, from the 30th of March to the 2nd of April, there will be no screenings held after 8 pm.

Take no chances

With the news this week and cases on the rise, the best course of action is staying home.

As Governor Koike’s request for this weekend was still just a “request” this could quickly change. With the newly created special task force by the Japanese Government and the resent adjustment of the law allowing Abe to declare a state of emergency, it is really everybody’s responsibility to help combat the spread of the Coronavirus and avoid the consequences.

So please stay at home, practice self-distancing and hopefully we can escape the scenarios we see on the news from abroad.

You can check the latest up-date-on Coronavirus cases from the Tokyo Metropolitan Government in English here or if you need to talk there are multilingual hotlines available.

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It seems the reality of the coronavirus epidemic has finally arrived in Japan. And it did not come as a surprise, as we are all asked to stay indoors this weekend, people have started their panic shopping in Tokyo.

With shops already clearing out on Thursday, leaving only drinks, condiments, and a few other things behind, it was to be expected that Friday would be even worse.

Tokyo Panic shopping part 2!#coronavirus #COVID19 #tokyo #panicshopping #Japan pic.twitter.com/D3VWMPAeAg

— obsessedwithjapan (@obsessedwithjap) March 27, 2020

And as stores opened around Tokyo people were already queuing to get in. By 10.30 am and only half an hour after opening, queues inside for the checkouts were so massive, staff were put in place with signs, as to avoid confusion.

With high commodities again being rice, but also eggs, nato and milk swiftly disappearing oh the shelves. Staff seemed to work at super speed restocking, though I wondered if they would’ve able to keep this up all day…

And again, we have seen those images from every country, which makes japan no exception. 

One thing to keep in mind though is, culturally, Japan’s society has a habit of eating fresh. Also, most of the population, especially in Tokyo are living in small apartments, with very little storage facilities. So generally, many Japanese will only just buy what they need for a day. This makes the prospect of not being able to get things as you go pretty daunting. Which explains the panic shopping we have seen since the announcement was made.

And with this week being the first real ask to stay indoors, it may or may not help curb the virus…

Let’s hope the measurement we take now will make a difference, or else we are going to be heading straight for what is happening in New York, Spain, and Italy. So let’s stay indoors and stay safe!

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